Behold the art of torture. Pain, discomfort and fear are powerful motivators. Extorting confessions and achieving compliance through coercion is a “tradition” dating back thousands of years, usually in the name of God, King, or Country. Fast forward to the present and the “Bringers of Pain” continue to wage war on innocents, but the motivation […]
Have you noticed how some people don’t understand the simple idea of Trick or Treating on Halloween? It’s not rocket science. Kids, dressed in their spooky little costumes knock on your door, say “Trick or Treat,” and you give them candy. Pretty simple, wouldn’t you agree?’ Then, why in the name of everything Halloweenie, do some […]
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the weirdest of them all? Writers are a strange bunch. Individually, writers tend to exhibit the personality quirks of a lone wolf terror suspect. They are introverted, often under the influence of mind altering substances (coffee and/or booze), are observed talking to themselves, and have an end game focus. […]
The End is near. Repent now. Seems like everyone has a prediction about the End of Days. A rain of fire, earthquakes, a planet killing meteor, or tidal waves of epic proportion; the exact method of human extinction is up for debate. Some look to the heavens to confirm the interstellar alignment of planetary bodies, […]
To boldly go where everybody and their hillbilly uncle are going today. That captures the essence of air travel for me, as of late. Gone are the days when a family vacation meant getting out of bed at four in the morning and getting tossed in the back seat of a 1960 Studebacker station wagon, […]
Have you ever wished that reality television was real? I don’t mean to pop your bubble here, but what passes for reality television has about as much basis in real life as a six legged cat from the pages of a Dr. Seuss story. The Real Housewives of Fargo, or wherever the hell that show […]
I’ve uncovered an insidious conspiracy, one strategic push threatening to bring the walls of our civilization crumbling down around us. This menace is so vile and inhumane that the Geneva Conventions considers their activities war crimes. This terror cell uses deception and coercive techniques, including: Torture Forcing victims to swear allegiance to a false doctrine Genital mutilation Held […]
Ever have one of those weeks when the tiny little CPU inside your skull starts to vibrate from the overload? I swear I smell something burning. While I uncoil a paperclip and jab the pointy end in my eyeball, let me explain how I got here. Everything demands attention, this very minute. Do this! Make that! […]
The Art of Connection A previous post featured the Top Five Things an author needs to do to increase the likelihood of seeing your book featured in an honest to God bookstore. Tina Ferguson, owner of a thriving indie bookstore, Face In A Book, in El Dorado Hills, California offered her valuable insight into what […]
Every author, from Stephen King to, all the way to the writers in the shallow end of the pool (me), get a rush seeing their book on the shelves of an honest to God bookstore. (Please note that this is likely the only time that Stephen King and I will be mentioned in the same place – ever.) […]
James L'Etoile 